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Question

Which electronic component was used in the second generation of computers ?

This question was previously asked in
UPSSSC Lower PCS 2026 Question Paper (23-Aug-2026)
The correct answer is

Transistors

Computer generations are defined by the switching component in use, so the answer follows from the generation's technology.

The second generation, roughly 1956 to 1964, replaced the vacuum tube with the transistor. Made of germanium or silicon, a transistor was far smaller, consumed a fraction of the power, generated much less heat and lasted far longer, so machines shrank and became reliable enough to enter business use.

The other components mark different generations. Vacuum tubes powered the first generation, integrated circuits the third, and microprocessors the fourth, when an entire processor was placed on a single chip.

Hence, the answer is Transistors.

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